Early in her career, Amanda Goetz, now 39, viewed her relentless drive as a badge of honor. A marketing veteran, two-time startup founder, and creator of the “Life’s A Game” newsletter, she intensified her ambitions during the pandemic. She left her corporate job, founded House of Wise (a CBD company), and navigated a divorce while raising three young children alone. Despite outward success, burnout struck hard, leading to two hospitalizations from panic attacks in one week.
“You can handle a lot until your body says no,” Goetz realized, prompting a shift: “You can have it all, but not all at once.”
Redefining Ambition
Goetz coined the term “toxic grit”—hustle without intention. “We chase goals without checking if they still fit,” she says. Now, she practices “sustainable ambition,” alternating intense work with planned rest to avoid collapse.
Currently, she’s focused on her book, “Toxic Grit: How to have it all and (actually) love what you have,” due in October. Afterwards, she’ll pause work for months to prioritize family.
“It’s about proactive rest, not waiting for a crisis,” she explains.
A New Rhythm
Goetz reassesses priorities every few weeks, using a 2:1 cycle—two weeks of hard work, then one week easing off, like leaving work at 5 p.m. for social time. “These breaks open space for life’s other joys,” she says.
“If ambition ruled, I’d work endlessly—but that’s not my vision for a full life,” she concludes.